Improvement in game-counters



WHITELAW.

GAME-COUNTER.

Patented March 21,1876.

N.PETER.S. PHOTuUTHoGRAPHEn. wLsuNGToN, Dv

UNITED N:STarti-s ParaNr` JOHN WHITELAW, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN GAME-COU'NTER'S.

Specicatiou forming part of Letters Patent No. 174,992, dated March 21,1876; application tiled f February 23, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WHITELAW, of Cleveland, in the county ofCuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Game-Counters; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention7 such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and useit, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form partofthis specification.

My invention relates Vto au indicator or counter, designed to indicatethe number of games that may have been Won by either party to a game oi'cards, or it may be used as a counter for any other like purpose.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a counter embracing theprinciples of my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central verticalsection of same.

Myinvention consists of a plate or frame bearing a counting-disk ateach. of its ends, one indicating the number of games played, and theother indicating the number ot' points that have been gained by theplayer' in any one game; and in connection with these disks there is anintermediate frame or case, from which project spring-teeth, that aseither disk is turned one space the corresponding springtooth willspring into a notch in the edge of said disk and prevent any furthermovement or displacement until again turned by the player to indicateother points gained `or games won.

A is the plate or frame, bearing disks B at each end thereof'. One ofthese disks is suitably marked for any number ot' points, that in theinstance shown in the drawings being from 1 to 10, to indicate thenumber ot' points gained in any game, and the word points may or may notbe printed thereon. rIhe other disk is divided in like manner toindicate the gaines won, and may or may not be stamped or marked withthe Word games.7

S0, also, it' desired, one of the disks may be stamped or marked withone color of ink, while the other may be stamped or marked with anothercolor, or the disks themselves may be of dii''erent colors, or be madeof the same or different material. The disks B are pivoted to pivots G,so as to turn freely upon said pivots. D is a suitable frame containinga spring or springs, D', which force movable points E out against theedges of the disks B, and the movable points E are provided with studsE', which project through slots E2 in the top of the frame D, and serveas fingercatches. The disks B are provided with notches b on theirperipheries corresponding to the numbers on the said disks.

The operation of the device is apparent' from the drawings. When playing`is begun the disks are set'so that the zero-points are opposite thespring-points E, which serve also as index-fingers When one or morepoints are gained the player turns the proper disk around until theproper number is opposite the index E, which drops or springs into thecorresponding notch b, and prevents the disk from turning further, orfrom being accidentally misplaced, until again turned by the operator.When the game is won the player turns the other disk until it indicatesone gamethat is, until the Fig. l is opposite the index-linger; and ifthe other disk is not already on the zero-point, he so fixes it, andproceeds as before. Instead of' making the notches b so deep that thedisks' B can only be turned byrst removing thespring catches or indexesE by pressing back the studs E', the/notches may be made shallow and thespring-catches blunt, so that when the catches are in the notches theyoffer good protection against turning, but not soV much but that-thedisks may be turned by exerting considerable force. In the latter casethe studs E and corresponding slots may be, dispensed with. This devicemay be attached to a plated or other metallic frame, A, and the disks Bmay be of ivory, I

or each or all of the parts except the springs may be made ofgutta-percha, or any other suitable material may be employed. So, also,instead ot' being made separate, as shown in the drawings, two suchdevices shown in the drawings may be attached to the card-box, one beingupon the box and the other on the cover, so that each player or each setof players can have one of said parts, and, co'nsequently, one ot' themachines.

What I claim is- 1. The game-counter, consisting of a frame, A, rotatingdisks B, and the spring-points or indeX-fingersElocnted intermediatebetween the index fra-me or inciosure D and the said disks,substantially as and for the pur- :spring or springs D', substantiallyas and for poses described. f the purposes described.

2. The combination with the frame A and In testimony whereof I havesigned my disk B, having the notches b, of the intermename to thisspecification in the presence of diete spring-catches or index-fingersE, protwo subscribing Witnesses. vided with the project-ing` studs E',substair tialiy as described and for the purposes set JOHN WHITELAW.

foi-th. Witnesses: l

3. The combination, with the frame A, ro- FRANCIS TOUMEY, tating notcheddisks B, and index-linger E, of JAMES P. WALSH.

